Railway car wall



Dec. 17,1946. (5, G. GILPIN RAILWAY CAR WALL Filed Oct; 27, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Illl a INVE Goff/z [7 Gi /pin,

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RAILWAY GAR WALL Filed Oct. 27, 1943 2-Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE RAILWAY CAR WALL Garth G. Gilpin, Chicago, nr, assignor to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Applicationflctober 27, 1943', Serial No. 508,082

" 14 Claims. (01. 105-409) My invention relates to railway freight cars and more particularly to the wall structure for open top railway cars, such as hopper and gondola cars, though the construction is adaptable for other parts of conventional railway freight cars, such as end walls, doors and separate panels.

Railway freight cars are generally designed so that theside walls are girders or trusses to carry part of the weight of the lading and the car itself to the body bolsters which transmit such load to the trucks. Such walls also, of course, retain the load in the car. Since the outside width of any car is limited by the dimensions of tunnels and projections adjacent the track; and the pay-load is limited to the cubical capacity of the car, it is extremely desirable to so design the walls of the car so that the space, otherwise occupied by the wall itself, is available for lading and thereby the cubical capacity of the car is increasedwith out increasing the overall car dimensions. This constitutes the principal-object of the invention. Attempts have heretofore been made to increase the capacity of cars by bulging outwardly central parts of wall panels, such, for example, as shown in Hart Patent No. 1,623,591, of April 5, 1927. With my present invention, however, substantially the whole wall, from the center line of bolster at one end to that at the other end, is disposed outside of the car posts, and thereby, is,

infeffect, one continuous outwardly bulged panel,

afiording the maximum possible inside width of car, and this without decreasing the strength of such'car wall, which is another object of my present invention.

Another object of the invention'is to form the wall posts which extend within the lading compartment of a single web of relatively thin material to thereby reduce the carrying capacity of the car the minimum amount and to assure a complete discharge of the load when the hopper doors are opened or when the car is turned upside down for unloading.

As stated before, the side Wall of a hopper or gondola railway car is a girder between the car bolstersv and as girders comprise top chords, bottom chords, web plates and web plate stilfene'rs. The side walls are also load retaining means in which some of the stiffeners function as posts or stakes. Such cars are sometimes unloaded by opening the doors in thehoppers which arepositione'd between the center sills and side sills of the car and other times are unloaded by turning the car almost upside down in a dumping machine. In either event it is imperative that there be no obstruction within the car to interfere with.

the free and ready discharge of the lading. Even rivet heads are objectionable. It is important, therefore, that the portions of the car wall adjacent to or forming part of the top and bottom chords. respectively, are sloped to eliminate pockets which wouldretain partsof certain ladings (such as sand, chats or fine coal).- It is also im portant that the upper sloping element be as near the tend the side wall as possible and that the sloping element of the bottom chord be as near the bottom of the interior of the car as possible because the further these two elements are apart the greater the cubical capacity of the car will be.

The entire wall being shaped from flat sheet metal plates, bent, pressed or otherwise formed Without the necessity of heating, provides the most economical way of constructing the car wall, which is another important object of the invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear. in the following, description thereof. l

Referring now to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts Fig. 1 isa partial side-elevation of a hopper car side wall embodying one form of my invention. i i Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal-section on of Fig.1. v r

, Fig. 4 is a broken side elevation of a wall sheet forming part of the invention.

- Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of stakes.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a portion of a car wall embodying the invention.

My improved wall for railway cars comprises a vertical wall sheet extending substantially from end to end of the car in one or more pieces and comprising a main portion 3 and upper margin portion 4. r The girder stiffeners or stakes 5 are preferably made of'flat metallic bars extending transversely of the car. Whenthe wall is made of more than one wall sheet the edges of the adjacent wall sheets overlap the edge of a stake 5 and the adjacent edges of the wall sheets are welded together and to the adjacent stake a singlerow of welded materiale By this arrangement very few wall sheets per car need be .used; in fact, I contemplate extending each'sheet from the bolster line to the middle of the car,asshown in Fig. 1;, Since each stake 5 comprises a single the line 3-,:

line 5-5 of one of the car wall web there is practically no interference with the free discharg of the lading, as no pockets are formed where the stakes meet the top and bottom chords, respectively. Furthermore, a flat metallic plate forms a very strong stiffener for the car wall as a girder and a very strong stake or post for the car wall as a retaining wall; that is, provided that the ends of the stakes are adequately attached to the top and bottom chords, respectively, as is hereinafter brought out. The stakes 5 are restrained from lateral deflection under stress by being attached not only to thewall sheet but by also being attached to the top and bottom chords, respectively, as illustrated particularly in Fig, 5.

The marginal portion 4 of the wall sheet'or sheets is provided with a plurality of spaced apart slots 6 and bent between the slots to provide up- Wardly and inwardly inclined portions extending between the stakes in alignment with each other and'welded to the opposite sides of the stakes to provide, in effect, acontinuous element of the top chord. The unslotted portion 3 of the wall sheet is preferably welded to the outer edges of the stakes 5.

' The top chord comprises a substantially chanjnel shaped section including a member 26 having a'horizontal portion or flange 1 welded to the top edge 3 of the inclined margina1 portion 4 of thewall sheet, and also welded to the top edges of the several stakes 5. The member 26 also comprises a Vertical or'vveb portion 9 welded to the outer edges of the several stakes 5 and an inwardly inclined portion or flange l welded to the inclined marginal portions 4 of the wall sheet, as shown at H. The member 26, cooperating with the inclined portions 4 of the wall sheet, provide a very strong hollow top chord This member 25 is preferably made of thicker material than: the wall sheet to provide the necessary strength as a chord and therefore I preferably reduce the width of the stakes (as shown at l2 in Figs. and 6) where the vertical arms 9 of the member 25 are attached thereto so that the outside of the member 26 will not extend beyond the plane of the outside of the main portion -3 of the wall sheet.

The bottom chord likewise comprises a substantially channel shaped section having a horizontal arm or flange l3 welded to the bottom edges of the several stakes 5, which is preferably provided with a lateral flange l4 to stiffen it between thestakes.

The bottom chord also includes a continuous vertical web portion l5 which is welded to the inner edges of the several stakes '5, and an inclined portion or flange l6 extending .from the upper end of the vertical portion l5 upwardly and outwardly to the lower edge of the main portion 3 of the wall sheet where it may be provided with a lateral flange I! which is welded or rivetedto the inner surface of the wall sheet.

The bottom chord member is preferably made of .thickermaterial than the wall sheets to provide strengthand furthermore to allow for wear due toabrasion upon the inclined portion 16 thereof caused by discharging lading. The inclined portion iii, due to its position in the car, is also subject to considerable corrosion and the action of for making it of tical portion of the bottom chord. This contom. chords, respectively. Furthermore, the

stakes 5, as horizontally loaded vertical beams of a retainingwall, are rigidly attached to the top and bottom chords, respectively, to transfer any horizontal load imposed thereon to the top and bottom chords.

The continuity of the bottom chord between the car bolsters and. the sloping floor is provided by short channels indicated in dotted lines at [9, Fig. 5, which are secured tomy bottom-chord member and the car bolsters.

The lower edge of the main portion 3 of the wall sheet preferably terminates adjacent the flanges ll, of the bottom chord member, as shown in Fig. 5, but, if desired, may be'extended downwardly to and be secured to the bottom flange it of the horizontal arm I 3'. The wall sheet thus extended would provide a stronger bot tom chord, give a better appearing car, and reduce air resistance when the car is in motion.

The side walls of the car, from the bolster line 21 to the end of the car, are set back, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, so that the ladder rungs 22 will not project outwardly beyond the main portion 3 of the side wall sheets. This is accomplished by welding the end side wall sheet 23 to the inside of the'bolster stake.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shownand described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur topersons skilled in the art.

I claim:

I. A wall for a railway car comprising a wall sheet comprising a vertical main portion and an upwardly and inwardly inclined marginal portion, said marginal portion having spaced slots, a plurality of. spaced vertical stakes formed of fiat metallic bars extending normally to said wall sheet which extend through said slots and are weided'to the inside of the main portion and the marginal portion ofthe wall sheet; and a top chord including a member comprising a substantially horizontal arm welded to the upper part of said marginal portion and to the tops of said stakes and a. substantially vertical arm having a flange extending to and welded to said marginal portion below the tops of the stakes, whereby the said marginal portion andthe said member form a hollow top chord in overlapping relationship with the stakes. V

2. A wall for a railway car camprising a plurality of spaced. vertical stakes extending normal to said wall, a wall sheet secured to the outer edges of said stakes, and a chord comprising a substantially channel shaped section, one flange of which is continuous and secured to the ends of said stakes and the other flange of which is slotted to overlap said'stakes and hav ing the edges thereof secured to said wall sheet, the web of said section being securedfto'said stakes.

3. A wall for a railway car comprising a girder formed of a plurality of spaced vertical stakes extending normal to said wall, a wall sheet secured to the outer edges of said stakes, and a substantially channel shaped section, one flange of which is continuous and overlies the ends of said stakes and the other flange of which is slotted to overlap said stakes, the edges of the flanges of the channel shaped section being secured to the wall sheet to form a hollow chord for said girder.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3 wherein the web of said channel shaped section is continuous and secured to the adjacent edges of said stakes.

5. A wall for a railway car comprising a plurality of spaced vertical stakes extending normal to said wall, a wall sheet formed of flat sheet material secured to the outer edges of said stakes, bent to extend to the inner edges of said stakes, and provided with spaced slots through which said stakes extend, and a chord member comprising a horizontal portion secured to the ends of said stakes and to the adjacent edge of said wall sheet and a vertical portion secured to the outer edges of said stakes.

6. A wall for a railway car comprising a plurality of spaced vertical stakes extending normal to said wall, a wall sheet formed of flat sheet material secured to the outer edges of said stakes, bent to extend to the inner edges of said stakes, and provided with spaced slots through which said stakes extend, and a chord member comprising a horizontal portion secured to the ends of said stakes, and a vertical portion, said vertical portion having a flange slotted to overlap said stakes, extend to and secured to said wall sheet.

7. A wall for a railway car comprising a plurality of spaced vertical stakes extending normal to said wall, a wall sheet formed of flat sheet material secured to the outer edges of said stakes, and a channel shaped chord member comprising a horizontal flange secured to the ends of said stakes, a web secured to the outer edges of said stakes, and an inclined flange slotted to overlap said stakes, extend to and be secured to said wall sheet.

8. A wall for a railway car comprising a plurality of spaced vertical stakes extending normal to said wall, a wall sheet formed of flat sheet material secured to the outer edges of said stakes, bent to extend to the inner edges of said stakes, and provided with spaced slot-s through which said stakes extend, and top and bottom chord members each comprising a horizontal. portion secured to the ends of said stakes and a vertical portion secured to the adjacent edges of the stakes, said vertical portion having a flange slotted to overlap said stakes and extend to and secured to said wall sheet.

9. A wall for a railway car comprising a girder formed of a plurality of vertical stakes; a Wall sheet formed of flat material secured to the outer edges of said stakes, bent to form an inclined portion extending to the inner edges of the stakes, and provided with spaced slots through which said stakes extend, a substantially channel-shaped section facing said sheet, one flange of which is continuous and secured to the ends of said stakes,,and the other flange of which is slotted to overlap said stakes and is secured thereto and to said well sheet, the web of said sectionbeing continuous and extending over a plurality of said stakes.

10. A wall sheet for a railway car wall having a plurality of vertical stakes extending normal to said wall, said wall sheet formed of flat plate material having a body portion adapted to be secured to the outer edges of said stakes and a marginal portion inclined and extendable to the plane of the inner edges of said stakes, said marginal portion being slotted to overlap said stakes and be secured thereto.

11. In a railway car wall of girder construction having a stiffener extending normal to said wall; wall sheets adapted to form the web of said girder, each sheet having a body portion and a marginal portion, the vertical edges of the body portions of adjacent sheets adapted to overlap the outer vertical edge of said stiifener and be Welded to each other and to said stifiener by a single row of welding material, the marginal portions of said sheets being inclined from the plane of said body portions, the edges of said inclined marginal portions being welded to opposite sides of said stiffener.

12. In a railway car wall of girder construction having a stiffener extending normal to said wall; a wall sheet adapted to form the web of said girder and having a body portion and a marginal portion, said body portion adapted to overlap the outer vertical edge of said stiffener and be welded thereto, the marginal portion of said sheet being inclined from the plane of said body portion and provided with a slot adapted to overlap said stiffener and be secured to opposite sides thereof.

13. In a railway car wall of girder construction having stiffeners extending normal to said wall; wall sheets adapted to form the web of said girder, each sheet having a body portion adapted to overlap the outer vertical edges of said stifieners and be welded thereto, the marginal portions of said sheets being inclined from the plane of said body portion and adapted to be welded to to overlie the ends of said stakes, the web of said section adapted to be welded to the outer edges of said stakes. and the other flange of said section being slotted to overlap said stakes and adapted to have the edge thereof secured to the marginal portion of said wall sheet.

GARTH G. GILPIN. 

